I recently saw a couple strongly anti-union commercials from a group called Center for Union Facts. I was surprised to see such a commercial on TV...anyone else seen them? Know anything about them or with whom they are affiliated? From their FAQ:

"So who are you guys, really?
The Center for Union Facts is a non-profit organization supported by foundations, businesses, union members, and the general public. We are dedicated to showing Americans the truth about today's union leadership. "

"The Center for Union Facts is a secretive front group for individuals and industries opposed to union activities. It is part of lobbyist Rick Berman's family of front groups including the Employment Policies Institute.

"An article in the December 15, 1999 copy of the Cleveland Plain Dealer describes Berman's support for Uniroyal, the company that produces Alar(tm), a pesticide used on apples. Through his Guest Choice Network (currently the Center for Consumer Freedom) Berman published a newsletter that minimized the risks of Alar to children. The newsletter stated, "According to the Environmental Protection Agency, one would have to eat 50,000 pounds of apples a day over a lifetime to contract cancer from Alar." In response, EPA spokeswoman Denise Kearns said, "To my knowledge, EPA never issued that kind of statement." In the end Berman admitted that the source of his information was a statement made by Uniroyal. Alar has since been banned due to cancer risks." [Emphasis mine] http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Rick_Berman

Yes, Berman has also brought us such usefull advice as -pregnant, don't worry about mercury! "According to a spokesman at the Center for Consumer Freedom, of which Berman is the executive director (he also heads the PR firm Berman & Co.), overly cautious federal agencies are to blame for understating the amount of mercury-tainted fish a pregnant woman would have to eat before putting her fetus at risk for brain damage." http://www.villagevoice.com/people/0603,hunter,71775,24.html

While I have no interest in Mr. Berman or his organization, I would agree that Unions have gone wildly out of control. A labor union is a business, and it has agendas which will most frequently be at odds with the interests of both workers and business owners.

Quoting Cfalk (Reply 3):While I have no interest in Mr. Berman or his organization, I would agree that Unions have gone wildly out of control. A labor union is a business, and it has agendas which will most frequently be at odds with the interests of both workers and business owners.

Like many such organizations, modern unions exist for their own survival.